HOME FIRE SAFETY INSPECTION

You CAN improve Fire Safety in your home. Start today by performing a fire safety inspection of your home. Check your house or apartment room by room to see which of these fire hazards you can find. Then TAKE ACTION to correct them.

BASEMENT, GARAGE, STORAGE AREAS

Piles of stored newspapers or other rubbish. Newspapers stored in a damp warm place may ignite spontaneously.
Oily, greasy rags. If these must be stored, they should be kept in labeled, sealed, metal containers. Flammable liquids (varnish, paint remover, paint thinner, contact adhesives, cleaning fluids) stored near open flame or pilot lights and in anything other than labeled, sealed metal containers can ignite spontaneously. Dispose of outdated or empty containers properly.
Overloaded outlets or extension cords.
Wrong size fuses.

KITCHEN

Matches within easy reach of children.
Overloaded outlets or extension cords.
Curtains or towel racks close to the stove.
Flammable liquids or aerosols stored near the range or other heat source.
Worn or frayed appliance or extension cords.

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LIVING/FAMILY ROOMS AND BEDROOMS

Too small or too full ashtrays.
Matches and lighters within easy reach of children.
Worn or frayed extension cords or extension cords run under rugs or carpets or looped over nails or other sharp objects.
Insufficient air space around TV and stereo that could cause them to overheat and start a fire.
Curtains, furniture, papers near a space heater.
Overloaded outlets or extension cords.

SAFE

UNSAFE

Remove all materials on or near your stove that could catch on fire, including paper, dishcloths, etc.
Put a box of baking soda and a large pot lid next to your stove. Get a kitchen fire extinguisher and learn to use it.
Remove electrical cords from under rugs, those nailed to walls and behind radiators.
Replace damaged cords on electrical appliances.
Remove "octopuses" from electrical outlets.
Discard old and unneeded flammable liquids such as cleaning fluids and paint thinners.
Move flammable liquids stored near stoves or other heat sources to a safe, distant location.
Clear area around portable heaters of drapes, furniture, and other burnable materials.
Test your smoke detector regularly and replace the batteries twice a year when you change your clock for Daylight Savings.

Cooking while wearing clothes with loose, floppy sleeves or full, billowing tips or skirts that may catch fire.
Reaching over a range or climbing onto a range to get something stored above it.
Attempting to extinguish a grease fire with anything but baking soda, fire extinguisher, or a lid.
Cooking without long hair tied back.
Using gasoline to start a fire in the grill or adding lighter fluid to an already-lit fire.
Smoking in bed, in a chair or sofa when tired, drinking, or on medication.
Smoking while using a cleaning fluid, a paint thinner, or other flammable liquid.
Using a cigarette lighter after spilling flammable liquid on hands or clothing.
Leaning against a range for warmth or standing too near a heater or fireplace.
Peering into a closet with a lighted match, lighter, or candle.
Sticking paper or wood into a space heater.

If your house is located in a rural area surrounded by trees and other vegetation, these are some additional tips that will help improve the FIRE SAFETY of your home.

Maintain a defensible space around your home by clearing all flammable vegetation a minimum of 30 feet around the structures, including outbuildings. Clear dead leaves and branches to leave widely spaced ornamental shrubbery and trees.
Clean all needles and leaves from the roof, eaves, and rain gutters.
Trim tree limbs within 10 feet of your chimney and trim all dead limbs hanging over your house or garage.
Cover your chimney outlet or flue with a spark arresting 1/2 inch wire mesh screen.
Make sure your address is clearly visible for easy identification in an emergency.
Make sure your home is located near a fire hydrant, or that you have a water storage supply for use in an emergency situation.
Stack woodpiles at least 30 feet from buildings, fences, and other combustible materials.
Clear all vegetation and other flammable materials from beneath your deck. Enclose undersides of elevated decks with fire resistive materials.